Beyond the virus: unseemly fight on another front in pandemic battle

THE upcoming 73rd assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) is shaping up to be one of several fronts that is turning the spotlight on China's handling of the current health crisis.

Australia is leading a push to hold an independent inquiry into the novel coronavirus pandemic and, at the same time, give the agency power to act intrusively like a UN weapons inspector whenever there is an outbreak of disease that may threaten global public health. The assembly, on May 17 in Geneva, will also debate the WHO's budget for the next two years and the Trump administration's decision to withhold payments. The annual meeting is to authorise the next funding cycle for 2020-2021 at US$2.4 billion per year; determine the policies of the organisation and appoint (or reappoint) the Director-General. There is likely to be a lot of lobbying on Canberra's proposals. One way or the other, the heat will be on China in the coming months.

As things stand, WHO's budget is likely to stir the most intense debate. In the 2018-19 cycle, Washington's contribution accounted for about 20 per cent of the WHO's total budget - US$237 million in assessed fees and US$656 million for specific programmes. By contrast, Beijing paid US$76 million in assessed fees. Of course, Bejing will be ready to point out that the US is in arrears. Washington currently owes US$198.3 million in membership dues, including amounts owed for previous funding cycles. The usual histrionics inherent in all such debates aside, it would be absurd if WHO's other 193 members cannot make up the shortfall. Indeed, China, on its own, can easily step into the breach as can several others. Given the scale of support schemes introduced by various governments to keep their economies afloat during the pandemic, WHO's annual US$2.4 billion budget is small change.